18 October 2026 Geopolitics
New Ukrainian drone strike on Saint Petersburg
A video posted on social media shows multiple explosions in Saint Petersburg, Russia, after a suspected attack by a swarm of Ukrainian drones.
Risk index
80/100
Crisis
- Over 7 days
- = stable
- Over 30 days
- ▲ +6
- Rank
- 1st of 231 countries tied
- Updated
- 18 Oct.
Travel advisories 70/70
Canada: Avoid all travel · United States: level 4 of 4
Right now 10/30
WHO bulletin (30 days) +6In today's Geopolitics +4
Score over time
Value: — (tap or hover a point)
Score based on advisories written for foreign travellers: it does not describe everyday life there. All countries on the map →
Converging signals this week
3 independent sources point to this country in the last 7 briefings.
- News mentioned on 7 of 7 days in the briefing (Geopolitics)
- Health (WHO) WHO bulletin: Pneumonia of undetermined etiology
- Earthquake (USGS) magnitude 6.9 earthquake on 16 Oct.
Background : travel advisory: do not travel
Thread of the week : « Rift between Trump and Zelensky: Starlink throttled in Ukraine » (7 days)
This country in the news web (3D) →
In the news
October 2026 19 events
18 October 2026 Geopolitics United States
Trump suspends new sanctions against Russia
The American president has frozen the implementation of a law providing for heavy sanctions against importers of Russian hydrocarbons. Marco Rubio speaks of a sixty-day pause to analyze economic repercussions. This decision comes as Moscow targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure and the dispute between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky intensifies.
17 October 2026 Geopolitics United States
Trump suspends new sanctions against Russia
In a decree published Friday evening, Donald Trump exempts Russia from sanctions, restrictions and tariffs provided for by new legislation, citing U.S. national interest. The decision comes two days before the deadline and a week after a diesel deal concluded with Vladimir Putin.
16 October 2026 Geopolitics Ukraine
Ukraine: Kyiv resumes strikes on Russian refineries, Trump criticises
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the end of the pause in strikes on Russian energy sites, following new Russian attacks. Donald Trump judges this resumption "a shame" and says it is harder to work with Zelensky than with Putin. Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking a refinery.
15 October 2026 Geopolitics United States
Trump announces deal with Putin to import Russian diesel
Donald Trump announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel to the United States. Pro-Russian accounts claim deliveries have already begun, which France 24 is verifying. This new reversal surprised Ukrainians and Europeans, as their envoys were meeting in Florida.
14 October 2026 Geopolitics Japan
Russia: arrest of Japanese journalist for alleged espionage
A journalist from Hokkaido Shimbun was arrested in Russia, in the Sakhalin region, for alleged espionage: he is accused of collecting information for Tokyo on Moscow's defense capabilities. Tokyo is seeking information about his detention.
13 October 2026 Geopolitics United States
Trump-Putin agreement on Russian diesel fuel: uproar in Washington
Following an exchange with Vladimir Putin on October 9, Donald Trump lifted for six months part of American sanctions targeting Russian diesel fuel, in order to import it. Seven senators on the Foreign Affairs Committee, including four Republicans, are asking him to cancel this decision which they deem illegal. The project is sparking fury among many elected officials in Washington.
12 October 2026 Geopolitics United States
Trump criticized for his agreement on Russian diesel
The agreement announced with Moscow on Russian fuel deliveries is drawing criticism from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, weeks before midterm elections. Senators question its legality and the Ukrainian press accuses it of 'financing terrorism'.
12 October 2026 Geopolitics Ukraine
Trump announces a Russian-Ukrainian 'energy ceasefire'
Donald Trump announced an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to suspend strikes against their energy infrastructure, without Kiev being informed. Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready to support it if Moscow does the same, but claims Russia continues to strike power plants.
11 October 2026 Geopolitics United States
American agreement on Russian diesel
Donald Trump announced after an exchange with Vladimir Putin that Russia would immediately deliver diesel to the United States, with an agreement lifting sanctions on this product. Volodymyr Zelensky sees it as a decision that will help Moscow prolong the war.
10 October 2026 Markets United States
Russian diesel returns to American and global markets
The U.S. Treasury lifted sanctions on the sale of Russian diesel, minutes after announcing an agreement between Trump and Putin. Russia commits to delivering nearly 5 million tons of diesel, according to Le Monde. Washington seeks to contain fuel prices before midterm elections. A strategist judges the measure « too little, too late ».
10 October 2026 Geopolitics United States
Trump announces an agreement with Putin on diesel
Donald Trump announced Friday that Vladimir Putin was committing to supply several million tons of diesel to the American and global market, over several months. The U.S. Treasury lifted sanctions on the sale of Russian diesel. Volodymyr Zelensky denounced an « investment in war », while Ukraine struck a Russian oil site a few hours later. Australia said it did not want to buy Russian fuel.
8 October 2026 World
Suspected plague in Russia: WHO calls for more transparency
Following the death of a laboratory technician in Siberia, the WHO, the European Union and the United States are calling on Russia to be more transparent. Moscow rejects information about a second suspected case as "false information". The WHO indicates it does not know exactly what the patient died of, nor what agent caused it.
6 October 2026 Geopolitics Ukraine
Moscow targeted by attack of 650 Ukrainian drones
In the night from Monday to Tuesday, the Russian capital was targeted by an attack that killed at least one person on the outskirts, according to authorities. TASS agency describes it as the most massive against the city.
6 October 2026 World
Suspected plague in Siberia after death of researcher
An employee of an institute specializing in pathogens in the Irkoutsk region died of pneumonia of unknown cause. Russian authorities deny any link to plague, but several hospitals have been placed in quarantine. Donald Trump says he is following the case closely.
5 October 2026 World
Russian laboratory technician dies of suspected plague in Siberia
A Russian laboratory employee died of suspected plague in Siberia. A Russian agency links his death to pneumonia of unknown origin, and the United States is monitoring the case.
4 October 2026 Geopolitics Ukraine
Ukraine: Russia strikes a second Kiev bridge
Russia struck the North Bridge in Kiev, after repeated attacks on another major bridge in the capital. It again called Saturday for diplomats and foreigners to leave the city, announcing "retaliatory strikes". Ukraine responds by announcing intensified strikes on Russian refineries.
2 October 2026 Geopolitics
Putin threatens to use all his weapons for Kaliningrad
Vladimir Putin asserts that Russia will use all weapons in its arsenal if its territory is attacked. He assures that Moscow is not threatening anyone and is responding to statements by Western leaders.
1 October 2026 Geopolitics Ukraine
Russia strikes Ukraine's energy network
Russia launched its largest attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since spring, targeting 11 regions. Power cuts affected Kyiv, and seven people including a child died. Ukraine says it shot down or neutralized 254 drones.
September 2026 3 events
30 September 2026 Geopolitics
Moscow brandishes nuclear weapon over Kaliningrad
In a document addressed to NATO, Russia states it is ready to resort to the arsenal at its disposal, including nuclear, if the Alliance attempted to isolate the Kaliningrad enclave, on the Baltic.
29 September 2026 Geopolitics North Korea
North Korea to train 10,000 more soldiers for Russia
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, North Korea will train 10,000 additional soldiers to support the Russian war effort, in addition to more than 8,000 military personnel already deployed on Russian territory. In return, Moscow provides technological support to Pyongyang.
28 September 2026 Geopolitics Ukraine
Intense Russian bombardments on Ukraine
Russian strikes killed several people in Ukraine, including a bombardment on Kharkiv that wounded 25 people, nine of them children. Volodymyr Zelensky indicates that Russia has launched nearly 4000 drones, aerial bombs and missiles on Ukraine in one week.
Other countries: Europe
Today's risk score, highest first.
Ukraine 74Belarus 70Belgium 23Bosnia and Herzegovina 23Denmark 23France 23Germany 23Italy 23Moldova 23Netherlands 23Spain 23Sweden 23United Kingdom 23Albania 12Kosovo 12Serbia 12Austria 0Bulgaria 0Croatia 0Cyprus 0Czechia 0Estonia 0Finland 0Greece 0Hungary 0Iceland 0Ireland 0Latvia 0Lithuania 0Luxembourg 0Malta 0Norway 0Poland 0Portugal 0Romania 0Slovakia 0Slovenia 0Switzerland 0Vatican City
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